14 year old convicted of car theft

A 14-YEAR-OLD pupil of Ngwenya compound in Livingstone has been committed to Katombora Reformatory School after he was convicted of theft of a motor vehicle by the Livingstone Magistrate’s Court.
This is in a case in which the boy appeared before Livingstone resident magistrate Chinkashi Chilingala on a charge of theft of motor vehicle.
It is alleged that on May 31, this year, in Livingstone, the juvenile stole a motor vehicle namely Toyota Sprinter registration number AJC 42, valued at K35,000, the property of Vivian Mabhena.
State prosecutor Mavis Kamamba told the court that on the day in question, around 09:30 hours, the complainant went to church at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church on Lusaka road in the said motor vehicle.
Ms Kamamba said Ms Mabhena locked her car and parked it outside the church, where other congregants had parked.
The complainant went inside the church with the car keys, but after the service, she found that the car had gone missing.
The matter was reported to Livingstone Central Police, where it was valued at K35, 000.
“Acting on the report, investigations were launched, which led to his apprehension. He was charged and arrested. He gave a free and voluntary reply, admitting the charge, saying that he drove the motor vehicle using another key,” Ms Kamamba said.
The prosecutor further said the boy said that he drove the vehicle up to the Tiger farms in Kasaya area, where he ran out of fuel. She said the motor vehicle was recovered.
In mitigation, the school-boy asked the court for leniency because he was sorry for his actions.
And in his report to the court, juvenile inspector Songiso Kawana, 42, said the boy was remorseful for his actions and had promised never to repeat what he did.
In his judgment, magistrate Chilingala said he had considered the boy’s mitigation and the social welfare report.
He said the court would send the convict to Katombora Reformatory School so that he could be helped because of the gravity of the offence.